singularity_rpg app
Player Information ;
Your Nickname: Mega
OOC Journal: dorked
Under 18? n
Email/IM: mega_zee_hedgie@hotmail.com
AIM - derpisms
Characters Played at Singularity: N/A
Character Information ;
Name: Riku
Name of Canon: Kingdom Hearts
Canon/AU/Other Game CR: AU
Reference: Riku on the KH wiki
Canon Point: Right before Hollow Bastion
Setting: The setting of Kingdom Hearts is vast, literally spanning across numerous worlds, but there are some core attributes shared across its universe. First and foremost, more than one world exists; in fact, each star in the sky is actually a world of its own, and when those worlds fall to darkness, the stars fade. Though many of the worlds follow their own rules, almost all of them contain an equal amount of light and darkness-- at least in the realm of light.
In addition to a heart, every world possesses something called a Keyhole, which serves as a passageway into that world's heart. In the wrong hands, the Keyhole can be used to pull a world into darkness, while a weapon called the Keyblade can be used to seal it for good.
The Kingdom Hearts universe has three main realms-- the realm of light, where most of the story takes place, the realm of darkness, and the realm between that connects the two. Few from the realm of light have ever set foot in the dark realm, and so it remains largely unknown.
However, if a world falls to darkness, its remains wind up in the dark realm within a place called End of the World. When this happens, the residents either end up scattered across the worlds, lose their hearts, become summons, or simply vanish... at least until their worlds are restored.
But regardless of realm, it is possible to travel from one world to the next in a few ways. Some use a pathway called the Lanes Between, which connects all worlds, but is incredibly dangerous to pass through unprotected due to its darkness. In the past, armor was used for safe travel, and presently Gummi Ships serve a similar purpose. These ships transport people from one world to the next and are easily modified with materials called Gummi Blocks. Some are used as weaponry, others armor, but perhaps the most useful is the Navigation Gummi, which lets pilots reach far off worlds through warp holes.
Moving on, all 'complete' beings in KH possess a heart, body, and soul. The heart always contains light and darkness with only a few exceptions. The seven Princesses of Heart are maidens born without the taint of the darkness, and they have the power to open the door to Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds. However, this can only be done if all seven princesses are gathered; just one won't do the trick.
In the past, a boy named Ventus got his heart split into two, leaving him with a heart of light, while his darkness became its own separate being. These occurrences are very rare in the KH universe, however.
So what about the rest? Well, most people in the KH 'verse are lucky. They seldom have to worry about that darkness of theirs. However, this isn't always the case. While darkness when left alone is harmless, if a person becomes too close to it, it often swallows them completely. Should a heart become overwhelmed by its dark side, the being in question becomes something called a Heartless, beings with no free will that instinctively prey on hearts. And if you lose your heart to a Heartless, you become one as well.
There are two main kinds of Heartless-- purebloods and emblems. Purebloods are created naturally from heart loss and are almost always a solid black. When a pureblood gets slain, it doesn't release a captive heart, and alter it'll reform. In contrast, there are Heartless marked with an Emblem. These come in many shapes, colors, and sizes, and should they be slain by the Keyblade, their heart will return to Kingdom Hearts.
Meanwhile, body and soul left behind become something else, a being called a Nobody. Nobodies, unlike Heartless, can think and plan, though the average Nobodies forget who they used to be and take on distorted appearances. A strong heart, however, creates a humanoid Nobody with memories intact. In canon, thirteen of these Nobodies exist, forming a group called Organization XIII.
By now, it should be pretty clear that the KH universe is full of magic. As most of the worlds are based on Disney films, there's a variety of spells from the animated canon. These range from stuffing many objects into a small bag, like Merlin to bringing wooden puppets to life. In truth, worlds with magic seem to outnumber those without.
But there's another form of magic that's more universal, and that's battle magic. These consist of standard RPG attacks such as elemental spells (fire/thunder/blizzard/aero), stat based moves (stop), and gravity. Just about anyone can learn this form of magic, even ordinary humans. It's also worth noting that this magic has little to do with light or darkness.
However, another form of magic comes from within; those who align themselves with the darkness gain several powers of their own. These include offensive spells like dark firaga, the ability to form dark corridors-- portals-- and even control of the Heartless. Unfortunately, using dark powers is very taxing on the heart. In order to wield the darkness and use it well, one must either have a great control over its power or wear some sort of protective clothing, such as the cloaks worn by Organization XIII and the armor of a Keyblade Apprentice.
So what is a Keyblade? It's a powerful weapon shaped like a key that's used to protect the realm of light-- in a perfect world, anyway. Keyblades of light and dark exist, and the only prerequisite is to have a strong heart and inherit the weapon from a Master-- or a wielder with the skill of one.
In the past, many Keybearers existed, both Masters and apprentices, but as time went on, they faded into obscurity. Some died, others became trapped in the realm of darkness or fell into a deep slumber. As of now, only King Mickey and Terra remain.
In the canon universe, Riku starts off as an ordinary human, though at the age of five he encountered Terra and inherited the power to wield the Keyblade. However, he kept his meeting with Terra a secret over the years, acting as if the meeting never happened. Later on, he'd use his newfound abilities to open the door to his world, allowing the Heartless to attack its heart and destroy it in the process. All the while, Riku embraced darkness without fear, costing him his right to the Keyblade; it wouldn't be until Kingdom Hearts II that he'd gain a Keyblade of his own.
But he did obtain powers over darkness, like the ones I described up above.
In this AU, things happened a little differently. Although Riku still opened the door to his world, but Sora made it to the island much quicker, and Riku never had a chance to give in. Thus, he gained the Keyblade as originally planned. On his journey, he also picked up a number of magic spells and abilities rather than immersing himself in darkness. He essentially becomes the "hero" of this universe, even if his actions are less than admirable at times. More details on this in the following sections!
Personality:
On the surface, Riku is a cool, collected teen. He’s generally laid back, a bit blunt, and a touch arrogant as well. His sense of humor might come across as mean sometimes, especially when he teases his friends, but he generally sticks to playful jabs rather than something truly mean spirited. Back on the island, he'd poke fun at Sora's crush on Kairi and how much he slacked off. And when it comes to Donald, he's mocked him for his temper quite a bit. And at first glance, one might assume he has an overinflated ego, for he often behaves in a confident manner, and in the past he was very full of himself. Since he started his journey, he's toned down his arrogance at least a little, but bad habits die hard; if nothing else, he likes to put up a strong front.
Another key trait of Riku's that hasn't changed is his competitive spirit. Back on the islands, he'd challenge Sora and the other islanders to sparring matches every day and partake in other challenges like racing. For a good while, he treated his journey like an elaborate game. Battling Heartless was dangerous, but also a good challenge that put his skills to the test. While he no longer views heroics as fun and games, he still enjoys being challenged.
Moving on, while Riku may be rough around the edges, there's a lot more to him than his snarky exterior. True, he may act cool, collected, and prideful, but deep down he's got his share of insecurities-- mainly jealousy. Ever since he was a kid, he's admired his friend Sora for his carefree disposition and the way he lives life following his heart. While Riku became restless and unhappy with his life in his small little world, Sora stayed positive, living in the moment instead of worrying about the future.
Riku isn't like that. He's not some cheerful, upbeat hero that goes around making tons of new friends, nor is he the type to go out of his way to befriend complete strangers-- not without a reason, anyway. He does care about his friends, and they mean the world to him, but he's often reckless for the sake of his own ambitions. He opened the door to his world in a desperate attempt to escape, and at the start of his adventure, he completely disregarded Donald and Goofy's mission in order to explore the worlds they visited and, later, hunt down Sora.
It's taken some serious emotional as well as physical challenges in order for his outlook to change.
When he first left his world, he thought that traveling around would be easy. This didn't change once he learned about the Keyblade. In fact, for the longest time, he acted as though he could handle anything the Heartless or Disney villains threw at him. So what if they were tough? He had the Keyblade. To make matters worse, his early experiences across the worlds were quick and easy. He battled some Heartless, dealt with creeps like the Queen of Hearts and Hades, and made it out in one piece. True, Donald and Goofy helped, but he only saw them as nuisances and an excuse to get around.
But as time went on, his perspective shifted. First, he found out that Sora'd "befriended" Maleficent, thinking she was one of the good guys. Then he found out about the Keyholes and just how important they were. Even then, he tried to stay cool, acting as though he could handle everything...
Until his carelessness lead to the destruction of another world, and countless hearts fell to the darkness.
Since then, he's had some second thoughts about the Keyblade. It's not that he doesn't want it; Riku completely accepts his position as Keybearer, but at times he does wonder if he really lives up to the role. When Terra passed the Keyblade onto him, he was supposed to "champion the ones [he] loved," but he ended up treating it like a trophy instead. But rather than mope around, Riku's taken his mistakes and worked his hardest to make up for them. He no longer sees Donald and Goofy as idiots and works alongside them for the sake of their mission. In turn, they've helped him with Sora and Kairi. Granted, he still does poke fun at them sometimes.
That being said, he's still not as friendly or outgoing as Sora. While he has made some new friends on his journey, he's still fairly picky. Just because someone looks nice doesn't mean they're trustworthy, and he tries not to get too close to someone without getting to know them first. To become Riku's friend, one has to earn his trust. Fortunately, he's opened up a little and isn't too hard on others.
And once Riku befriends someone, he becomes very dedicated to them. Though he's not the sort to preach about the power of friendship, he'd go to great lengths to protect the people he holds dear, even if it means making the wrong choices. This is reflected in the AU a bit differently. Instead of working with the villains, Riku simply wasted a lot of time looking for Sora instead of focusing on the Keyholes. He also considered using Pinocchio to help Kairi at one point, but he reconsidered very quickly. And later on in the plotline, he'll leave the door to Kingdom Hearts open in order to prevent the worlds from spreading apart. And why? Because he'll refuse to return home without Sora and Kairi.
But for now, Riku's stuck on what to do about Sora. They've clashed several times across various worlds, and though he still cares deeply for his best friend, Sora's unwavering loyalty to "new friends" has become a serious obstacle. He's just too stubborn to accept that the villains treating him kindly are in fact using him as a means to an end.
Riku knows that they'll have to fight, but deep down he's scared. True, he's sparred with Sora before, but a real fight is completely different. Either one of them could get hurt in the process, and he doesn't want their friendship torn to shreds. Soon, he knows he'll have to do something to knock some sense into him, but he will hesitate at first and even lose the Keyblade temporarily, until he can muster up the courage to fight. But in the end, he'll stay strong and do whatever it takes to knock some sense into him.
As for Kairi, canon doesn't touch upon their relationship near as much, but KH1 provides at least some insight into Riku's feelings for her. At the start of the game, Riku states that Kairi is the whole reason he decided to build the raft. She inspired him to take action and look for other worlds. The way he talks to her shows some definite fondness, and while he may not view her the same way he sees Sora, she's still incredibly important to him. Why else would he go along with a group of villains in the game just to get her heart back?
Naturally, these feelings remain in the context of the AU, even if he doesn't go to such crazy lengths to save her. Ever since he was little, she fascinated him due to her amnesia and the fact that she came from a faraway world. And-- pardon my headcanon here-- but he admires Kairi's spunky attitude and the fact that she's able to keep up with both himself and Sora, even if she doesn't do any actual fighting. She'll race with them, hang out with them, and she keeps the boys in line.
But on the other hand, he's pretty darn protective of her because she doesn't fight. The fact that she's lost her heart doesn't help one bit, either, and in a way, he blames himself for what happened. If he hadn't opened the door, she'd still be okay. That's why he's determined to save her somehow, and once he does, he has no plans on leaving her alone. The fall of Destiny Islands separated him from his friends and threw them into a massive conflict; by now, he just wants to be with them again.
Lastly, I should probably touch on Riku's views on light and darkness. It's true that he sees the darkness as a dangerous threat, but at the same time, Riku doesn't preach for the light either. By the end of the KH1 story, he'll have a firm stance that light and darkness really don't matter to him. He'll stop his enemies regardless of what they use and form his own path.
Abilities, Weaknesses, and Power Limitation Suggestions:
Strengths;
Riku's greatest physical strength stems from his weapon, the Keyblade. It serves as a powerful weapon that can change form depending on the keychains equipped, allows him to use magic, and he can use it to perform a number of moves in battle.
These include...
Attack Abilities
- Sonic Blade - Slash an enemy while rushing past. Select followup attack at right time for a combo. [2 MP]
• Ars Arcanum - A formidable attack. After a combo, select followup attack again for a double combo. [3 MP]
• Ragnarok - After aerial combo, select followup attack at right time to unleash Ragnarok. [3 MP]
• Strike Raid - Hurl the Keyblade at an enemy. Select followup attack at right time for a combo. [2 MP]
• Sliding Dash - Riku does a quick slide, pulling himself near the enemy and damaging them.
• Vortex - Close the distance to nearby enemies with this powerful spinning attack.
• Aerial Sweep - Leap at an airborne enemy and strike a mighty blow.
• Slapshot - When facing more than one enemy, Riku swings his Keyblade with a large arc and finish it with a upward thrust.
• Counterattack - Strike back after parrying an enemy blow. Successful counterattacks restore MP.
• Blitz - Strike enemies ahead of you with a powerful finishing combo.
• Zansetsuken - Riku holds Keyblade vertically reversed and strikes through enemy, very powerful finisher.
• Ripple Drive - When several enemies surround Riku, this ability knocks them back.
• Stun Impact - Sora strikes his Keyblade downwards, creating a small explosive sphere protecting him and stunning nearby enemies.
In addition to combat moves, Riku can use the Keyblade to open and close any lock, other than magical seals like the one to Merlin's house. It can also seal Keyholes, protecting the hearts of worlds for good.
Magic
• Fira - Sends a large burst of flames flying towards his enemies. Works best with one target. [1 MP]
• Blizzara - Sends multiple ice crystals towards foes. This may hit multiple enemies. [1 MP]
• Thundaga - Summon a barrage of lightning bolts to strike down foes. [1 MP]
• Aerora - Gusts of wind surround Riku, lessening the blows of enemy attacks. Enemies too close to him while he casts this may take damage as well. It lasts 18 seconds per use. [2 MP]
• Cura - Standard healing spell. [1 MP]
• Gravira - Traps enemies in a gravitational field for a few seconds, damaging them for the durration of the spell.
• Stopra - Freezes enemies for a few seconds. [1 MP]
He also possesses the ability to summon several Disney characters, but I'd like to keep this ability locked.
Other than magic and Keyblade techniques, Riku's picked up a few more tricks on his journey. He can jump very high with the high jump ability, and thanks to his adventures in Neverland he can glide short distances.
Granted, special abilities alone aren't Riku's only strengths. Because he's spent years sparring, he's got a decent amount of fighting experience. He's also fairly muscular for his age and pretty agile. He's not incredibly strong on his own, but it's said that he's taken on Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka three-to-one and still won. Likewise, he's usually the one to win races against Sora. So, by teenage standards, he's above average in terms of physical fitness.
Mental/Emotional
• When Riku has a goal in mind, he sticks to it. He's a very determined individual, and while there are times where he experiences self-doubt, he usually pulls through in the end. He'll also go to great lengths to achieve his goals, such as opening the door to his world to find freedom... even if that's not the greatest example. Regardless, he does take initiative where others might hesitate.
• When it comes to his friends, Riku is very loyal.If they're ever in a pinch, he'll help them out, no questions asked. On the other hand, this is also a weakness, for reasons I'll explain below...
• He's much more responsible than he used to be. If there's a threat out there, Riku's the sort to go after it, not just for the challenge, but for the safety of the world(s).
• He's pretty clever, and he's nowhere near as naive as Sora. And due to his experiences, it's much tougher to manipulate him than a standard KH1 Riku. A clever turn of phrase won't do it, so standard villain deceit is generally out.
Weaknesses;
• Though Riku's a competent fighter and certainly strong, he's not without his weaknesses. First and foremost, he's still a teenage boy. True, he's muscular and quick on his feet, but he's also got a lot of growing to do. His small size can put him at a disadvantage when facing a larger foe, especially one with a lot of bulk. He can stand his ground better than Sora, but it still wouldn't be too hard to knock him around.
• When Riku casts magic, he's left vulnerable for a brief moment. This leaves him open to counter attacks, even when he's healing-- at least until he picks up the Leaf Bracer ability.
• On that note, Riku can only use so much magic until he's used up all his MP-- or magic points. In order to regain MP, he must use ethers/elixirs or land successful hits on his opponents. He can also restore MP by taking damage.
• Though he's got pretty good stamina, it's entirely possible to wear Riku down. Even the greatest fighters have limits, and if a fight's drawn out long enough, he'll slow down sooner or later.
• On a mental/emotional level, Riku's still very stubborn and doesn't always make the right choices. He can be a bit rash and rush into a situation without thinking it through, even if he does have good intentions. While this has improved since he left Destiny Islands, he still has slip ups, especially when angered.
• Though he cares deeply for his friends, they're one of his greatest weaknesses. Mess with his friends, and it's easy to set him off, especially when it comes to Sora and Kairi. Moreover, he'd put aside his obligations as Keybearer for their sake, even if it meant hurting others in the process. Oh, he knows it's wrong, but in the end, he values them more than all the worlds. This is what eventually prompts him to leave the DTD wide open.
• When Riku gets angry, he's far from rational. It's when he's ticked off or under stress that he makes a lot of poor choices. It's also pretty easy to anger him if you know what buttons to press. Aside from his friends, Riku's personal flaws and mistakes are two of his biggest triggers, and just mentioning his mistakes can set him off, depending on the conversation.
Power Limits;
Though I don't think Riku's abilities are that game breaking, I have a few suggested limits. First and foremost, I want to disable summoning completely because the summons are separate characters; it wouldn't be right for him to make misc Disney characters appear out of nowhere. Furthermore, he can only use summons in-game when he has two party members with him. Obviously, this won't be possible in-game unless someone happens to pick up Donald and Goofy.
Second, I'd like to use the MP system because I think it's a good way to cut down his magic use. Giving him a limit to how much magic he can use at a time keeps him from spamming super powerful attacks again and again. As such, I'd like to give him seven MP blocks for now.
Inventory: His Keyblade, a few potions and ethers, and the following Keychains:
- Crabclaw, Lady Luck, Olympia, Three Wishes, Pumpkinhead, Fairy Harp
Appearance: Riku is a somewhat tall, slightly muscular teenage boy whose most notable features include his shoulder-length silver hair and turquoise eyes. Riku dresses in a black and yellow sleeveless top and blue waders, and he wears a belt around his waist with straps that hook up to his waders.
Age: 15
OC/AU Justification ;
If AU, How is Your Version Different From Canon, and How Will That Come Across?
KH1 World Order
Before I go into the nitty gritty, here is the order of world visits, as it differs from canon a little.
Destiny Islands -> Traverse Town -> Wonderland -> Olympus Coliseum -> Traverse Town -> Atlantica -> Pleasure Island -> Halloween Town -> Agrabah -> Neverland -> Traverse Town -> Hollow Bastion -> Traverse Town -> End of the World
General AU Background
The first fifteen years of Riku's life followed canon completely. He still grew up alongside Sora, inherited the Keyblade from Terra, and later befriended Kairi. The trio worked on the raft and expected to go sailing to other worlds. It was the night of the storm, where Riku opened the door, that his fate changed. Though he did doom his world, Sora came to the island much quicker than in the actual game, finding Riku before thoughts of darkness even slipped into his mind. Together, they searched for Kairi while avoiding countless Heartless. After dealing with a large group of Shadows, Riku obtained the Keyblade, and together the trio tried to pass through the door.
This didn't work out so well. Kairi's heart ended up inside Sora, just like in canon, and though Riku and Sora took on the Darkside together, they became separated right as the island disappeared.
As a result, he ended up in Traverse Town and eventually encountered Donald and Goofy. But while canon Sora chose to befriend them, Riku saw the Disney duo as a means to an end. If he could put up with them for a while, at least he'd get to see other worlds. And maybe then he'd be able to catch up with Sora and Kairi. The Heartless and heroics didn't matter one bit, nor did their mission. Not for a long time, anyway.
Meanwhile, Sora ended up in Hollow Bastion and met Maleficent. She manipulated Sora into thinking that she and the other Disney villains were tragic heroes shunned by their worlds and promised to help him find Riku and Kairi... for a price. If he assisted the villains in "saving" a few "helpless" maidens from the oppressive forces in their worlds, then Maleficent would search far and wide to find his friends.
And because the villains were so convincing with their stories and because Sora's always been friendly and a bit naive, he bought their sob story hook, line, and sinker.
So, while Riku traveled to Wonderland and Olympus Coliseum, Sora 'rescued' Alice and learned magic from Maleficent. Naturally, Riku didn't suspect a thing and went on his journey for the sake of thrills.
It wasn't until they met up in Traverse Town that he started to reevaluate the situation.
When the two boys met up in the First District, Riku quickly ditched Donald and Goofy in order to catch up with his best friend. They shared their experiences with each other, and though neither knew where Kairi went, they both decided to keep their eyes out for her. Kairi was smart and could take care of herself until they found her.
Sora even suggested that Riku could come along with him and meet Maleficent, something that he honestly considered until Donald and Goofy found him and dragged him off to take care of things. Sora stuck around for a little while, but after they delivered the book to Merlin in the Third District, he hurried off to 'take care of something'.
Riku still didn't suspect anything was wrong until Leon and his gang explained who Maleficent was and what she did to their world. Suddenly, everything changed. If Sora was siding with one of the bad guys, what was he supposed to do about it? Why would go with her, anyway? He started to worry, even if he didn't show it. Moreover, he learned about Keyholes and their importance as well.
But even after sealing Traverse Town, Riku's priorities remained fixed on Sora. He'd already sealed two Keyholes successfully, and as long as he had the Keyblade, it didn't matter when the worlds got saved, as long as it was before Maleficent got to them.
So once Riku, Donald, and Goofy reached Atlantica and learned of Sora's presence, Riku tried his hardest to find out about his whereabouts, all while fighting Heartless and hunting down the Keyhole. But every time he came close to finding Sora, he missed him. All the while, Sora assisted Ursula in obtaining "her" Trident, even if that plan backfired in the end.
Still, the Keyhole got sealed, making another easy victory for Riku. Even if he missed Sora again, he continued to treat the bulk of his mission as a cakewalk.
At least until he, Donald, stumbled upon a dark and twisted world called Pleasure Island. It was a place where naughty little boys ran amok with "fun and freedom," encouraged to smoke cigars, drink alcohol, and vandalize the place. A cruel Coachman used the island to "make jackasses" out of the little boys and sell them to salt mines and circuses. And to make matters worse, the whole place teemed with darkness, and powerful Heartless attacked without mercy.
Several key events occurred in this world. First and foremost, they discovered Pinocchio, witnessed the transformation of boys into donkeys, and faced Neoshadows and other high-level Heartless.
But the most important event in this world centered around the Keyhole. By the time they found it, several Heartless approached, including a large Behemoth. Spotting Riku and the others, the Coachman tried to turn the Heartless against them, refusing to let some brat interfere with his operation. Instead, the Behemoth crushed the Coachman and devoured his heart, leaving the trio with no choice but to battle the beast or find a way around it.
Donald and Goofy ordered Riku to ignore the Heartless and hurry to the Keyhole, but he refused. They'd fought tough foes in the past, so why take the coward's way out? In other worlds, they managed to beat the boss and save the Keyhole in one fell swoop, even foes such as Cerberus and an oversized Ursula. So, Riku carelessly attacked the Behemoth...
But it and the swarm of Neoshadows overpowered him and seized the Keyhole. Within seconds, the world started to fall apart. Luckily, they made to the Gummi Ship in time to escape, with Pinocchio in tow.
Nontheless, Riku's failure to save PI dealt a serious blow to his pride. Not only did he fail to seal the Keyhole, but he witnessed the world disappear, just like the islands.
It also put everything he learned into perspective. Being the Keybearer wasn't just a game-- it was an obligation, not just to himself or his friends, but the worlds. One wrong move, and countless lives could disappear in an instant.
So at last, he came to accept Donald and Goofy's friendship, promising to help them King, save the worlds, and deal with the Maleficent, so long as they helped him find Sora and Kairi.
Little did he realize, Sora wasn't far. After a crash course into Halloween Town, Riku met up with Sora again. There, he tried to reason with him, but Sora refused to believe that his new friends could do anything wrong. To make matters worse, he later stole Dr. Finkelstein's experimental heart, leaving Riku with no choice but to go after him and set things straight.
When they met up again, Sora openly revealed that Kairi had lost her heart to the Heartless and that he wanted to use Finkelstein's experiment in order to help her. This led to a fierce argument between Riku and Sora. Riku refused to believe that a synthetic heart would help, while Sora was too desperate to give up. Moreover, he begged, even pleaded for Riku to come with him.
But eventually Sora got fed up with the fighting and fled, forcing Riku to trail behind, dealing with Heartless, Oogie's cronies, and Oogie himself on the way. Eventually, Oogie used the fake heart to fuse with his manor, and by the time Riku defeated him and sealed the Keyhole, Sora left yet again.
In Agrabah, Riku caught a brief glimpse of Sora when Jafar used the Genie to bring them, as well as Jasmine, straight to the Keyhole. Sadly, he never got a chance to speak with Sora, as he got too wrapped up in fighting Jafar with his newfound skills in sorcery. By the time the battle concluded, both Jasmine and Sora were gone, and Riku had no choice but to follow them in hopes of bringing her back.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Riku met up with Sora again soon after he left Agrabah, when the Gummi Ship encountered an enormous pirate ship. He along with Donald and Goofy got brought on board, where Sora greeted them and tried one last time to reason with Riku. He even went so far as to show him Kairi's lifeless body. But just like in Halloween Town, Riku refused, telling Sora that he'd picked the wrong crowd to hang around with.
As a result, the trio ended up in the dungeon and met up with Peter Pan. Together, they battled the Heartless and tried to save Kairi and Wendy. The end of Neverland follows canon to a degree; they reach Kairi, but she's quickly taken away, and Sora's nowhere to be seen. Then they fight hook. The main difference is that Sora has no power over darkness or the Heartless; it's Maleficent who transports him back to Hollow Bastion.
Once they sealed Neverland's Keyhole and returned Wendy to London, Riku, Donald, and Goofy left Neverland and returned to Traverse Town to prepare for their arrival in Hollow Bastion. While Cid installed some new Navigational Gummis, Riku took some time to consider everything that happened so far.
He had mixed feelings on the whole situation and plenty of uncertainty. Not only would he have to face Sora, but Maleficent as well. Once they arrived in Hollow Bastion, there'd be no time to play around; the stakes were high, and he'd have to be on his toes in order to set things right.
It's around this point that I'll be taking Riku.
**Endgame Details**
I realize this is already getting pretty longwinded, but I might as well summarize some key events for the "endgame" of KH1. First and foremost, Riku's fear of fighting Sora temporarily costs him the Keyblade, though he later regains it once he musters up the courage to face his fears. The two boys fight, Riku succeeds, but Sora doesn't come to his senses until the dragon Maleficent fight, where she attacks him as well as Riku.
After the fight, Riku/Sora/Donald/Goofy all head to the incomplete Keyhole, where they find Kairi. Sora and Riku take some time alone to discuss everything that's happened, and Sora reveals that Kairi's heart is inside him (see: notes on Sora below). Though the only way to free her heart is for Sora to sacrifice himself, it takes a lengthy argument for Riku to accept this. When he does, he challenges Sora to one last sparring match before he saves Kairi and disappears.
Around that time, Ansem appears and attempts to possess Riku. He struggles and manages to push Ansem away, with some help from Kairi. But while they manage to push Ansem away, there's little time to seal the Keyhole. Countless Heartless appear, forcing Riku and co. to flee and return to Traverse Town. On the way back, he apologizes for all his mistakes and promises to make up for them. More importantly, he swears that he'll find a way back to Sora-- provided he's still alive.
Unlike canon, Kairi doesn't stay behind in Traverse Town. For the rest of the story, she travels alongside Riku, Donald, and Goofy, in spite of the dangers at Hollow Bastion and End of the World. It's only before the final fight with Ansem that she's told to stay by the door, and at that point she gives Riku her good luck charm. However, Kairi does get pulled into the Endless Abyss by Ansem during the final fight as a means of toying with Riku.
But in the end, Riku defeats Ansem, who gets destroyed by the light within Kingdom Hearts. However, when it's time to close the door and seal it for good, Riku flakes. Prior to sealing Hollow Bastion's Keyhole, Leon and co. mentioned that the worlds would become separate again once the door is closed. This leaves Riku torn between doing the right thing and keeping his promise to search for Sora.
In the end, he'll leave the door wide open and pull his friends through a dark corridor in order to save them. This is where KH1 ends.
If any more information is necessary, I'm cool with that, but I've already rambled about the plot as-is.
Notes on the AU's Sora
I already mentioned that Sora retains Kairi's heart in this Universe. This plays a big part in what becomes of him as the plot progresses. Due to the extra light from Kairi, he's unable to use darkness, much less control the Heartless. This, in turn, prevents Ansem from possessing him later on in the plot. As a result, Sora's special abilities are regular KH magic, though he does obtain the Dark Keyblade from Ansem anyway.
I should also note that, since Sora is the one who will use the Dark Keyblade to save Kairi, there is no battle at the final Keyhole. By the time dragon Maleficent is defeated, Sora will have come to the conclusion that Kairi's heart is inside him for two reasons. First, he kept seeing/hearing Kairi, even when she wasn't around. Second, wielding the Dark Keyblade will leave him with an odd feeling in his chest.
Lastly, when Sora becomes a Heartless, he stays a Heartless because Riku and the others leave Hollow Bastion in a hurry.
Notes on Disney Worlds
The world visits themselves don't always follow the games completely. Agrabah and Wonderland, for example, incorporate elements from the films in addition to the Kingdom Hearts plotlines. Wonderland features a croquet match between Riku and the Queen of hearts, rather than a search for evidence. Because Agrabah occurs at a much later time period, by the time Riku and co. get there, Aladdin is already parading around as Prince Ali. Also like the film, Jafar becomes an all powerful sorcerer before he takes on the form of a Genie.
Additionally, Sora visits every Disney world except for Olympus Coliseum and Pleasure Island.
The biggest difference between canon and this universe, however, is the lack of Deep Jungle and the replacement of Pleasure Island for Monstro. Don't get me wrong; Monstro still exists in the AU, but it doesn't happen until after the KH1 arc, meaning that it won't apply to Riku unless I update him later.
Also, post-KH1, the door to Kingdom Hearts remains open, meaning that all the fallen worlds are still gone. Again, this will be more relevant if I ever update him.
In Closing...
Though this Riku is from an AU and his experiences are different, he'll still be Riku. He won't be quite as arrogant, jealous, and reckless as his canon counterpart, but he'll still have similar character traits; he's just a bit more mellowed out and lacks a strong influence from the darkness. The relationship he has with Sora is a little strained, and he's friends with a bunch of Disney characters, but he's not gonna be Sora in Riku's skin.
If OC, Did You Run Your Character Through a Mary-Sue Litmus Test?
And What Did You Score?
Samples ;
Log Sample:
A lot changed since he left his home. Those carefree days watching the sunsets or fighting with wooden swords had long since passed. Back then, Riku would have done anything to get away from his his boring life in a prison surrounded by water.
But as they say, be careful what you wish for; it just might come true.
What was he supposed to do now? Sighing, Riku leaned back against the accessory shop, heaving a heavy sigh. Seeing the outside world was more than he'd ever dreamed of. While he got to see rare sights and meet interesting people, it all came with a heavy price tag. Battling the Heartless, sealing Keyholes... It sounded like something out of a fairy tale, and it was certainly more responsibility than he'd ever hoped for.
But the hardest part of his journey was the strain on his bond with Sora.
They'd probably have to fight soon. Not a pretend battle with toy swords, but a real fight with high stakes. What if that ruined things between them? It's bad enough that they were on opposite sides! Gritting his teeth, Riku turned his attention to the world's entrance, where Donald and Goofy stood, waiting for him to make a decision.
Well, whatever the risks, he couldn't just stand here. Every minute he spent deliberating was another minute wasted, while Maleficent and her goons came one step closer to their goals. He'd figure things out on the way. Maybe by then he'd be ready to deal with Sora, no matter what happened.
But he knew it wouldn't be easy.
Network Sample:
[There's something a bit unnerving about showing up in a completely new world, full of strange technology without any sign of your friends anywhere. So, pardon Riku if he looks a bit overwhelmed as the device flickers on.]
You know, I'm all for seeing other worlds, but I was kind of in the middle of something. But I guess there's no sense complaining. Not if I'm stuck here...
[He sighs and shakes his head. Just his luck that he'd get dragged off before he could even deal with Sora.]
So, anyone seen a loudmouth duck around here? Has a short temper, usually hangs out with a huge klutz.
[A beat.]
Or better yet, there anyone named Sora around? It's kind of important.
Your Nickname: Mega
OOC Journal: dorked
Under 18? n
Email/IM: mega_zee_hedgie@hotmail.com
AIM - derpisms
Characters Played at Singularity: N/A
Character Information ;
Name: Riku
Name of Canon: Kingdom Hearts
Canon/AU/Other Game CR: AU
Reference: Riku on the KH wiki
Canon Point: Right before Hollow Bastion
Setting: The setting of Kingdom Hearts is vast, literally spanning across numerous worlds, but there are some core attributes shared across its universe. First and foremost, more than one world exists; in fact, each star in the sky is actually a world of its own, and when those worlds fall to darkness, the stars fade. Though many of the worlds follow their own rules, almost all of them contain an equal amount of light and darkness-- at least in the realm of light.
In addition to a heart, every world possesses something called a Keyhole, which serves as a passageway into that world's heart. In the wrong hands, the Keyhole can be used to pull a world into darkness, while a weapon called the Keyblade can be used to seal it for good.
The Kingdom Hearts universe has three main realms-- the realm of light, where most of the story takes place, the realm of darkness, and the realm between that connects the two. Few from the realm of light have ever set foot in the dark realm, and so it remains largely unknown.
However, if a world falls to darkness, its remains wind up in the dark realm within a place called End of the World. When this happens, the residents either end up scattered across the worlds, lose their hearts, become summons, or simply vanish... at least until their worlds are restored.
But regardless of realm, it is possible to travel from one world to the next in a few ways. Some use a pathway called the Lanes Between, which connects all worlds, but is incredibly dangerous to pass through unprotected due to its darkness. In the past, armor was used for safe travel, and presently Gummi Ships serve a similar purpose. These ships transport people from one world to the next and are easily modified with materials called Gummi Blocks. Some are used as weaponry, others armor, but perhaps the most useful is the Navigation Gummi, which lets pilots reach far off worlds through warp holes.
Moving on, all 'complete' beings in KH possess a heart, body, and soul. The heart always contains light and darkness with only a few exceptions. The seven Princesses of Heart are maidens born without the taint of the darkness, and they have the power to open the door to Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds. However, this can only be done if all seven princesses are gathered; just one won't do the trick.
In the past, a boy named Ventus got his heart split into two, leaving him with a heart of light, while his darkness became its own separate being. These occurrences are very rare in the KH universe, however.
So what about the rest? Well, most people in the KH 'verse are lucky. They seldom have to worry about that darkness of theirs. However, this isn't always the case. While darkness when left alone is harmless, if a person becomes too close to it, it often swallows them completely. Should a heart become overwhelmed by its dark side, the being in question becomes something called a Heartless, beings with no free will that instinctively prey on hearts. And if you lose your heart to a Heartless, you become one as well.
There are two main kinds of Heartless-- purebloods and emblems. Purebloods are created naturally from heart loss and are almost always a solid black. When a pureblood gets slain, it doesn't release a captive heart, and alter it'll reform. In contrast, there are Heartless marked with an Emblem. These come in many shapes, colors, and sizes, and should they be slain by the Keyblade, their heart will return to Kingdom Hearts.
Meanwhile, body and soul left behind become something else, a being called a Nobody. Nobodies, unlike Heartless, can think and plan, though the average Nobodies forget who they used to be and take on distorted appearances. A strong heart, however, creates a humanoid Nobody with memories intact. In canon, thirteen of these Nobodies exist, forming a group called Organization XIII.
By now, it should be pretty clear that the KH universe is full of magic. As most of the worlds are based on Disney films, there's a variety of spells from the animated canon. These range from stuffing many objects into a small bag, like Merlin to bringing wooden puppets to life. In truth, worlds with magic seem to outnumber those without.
But there's another form of magic that's more universal, and that's battle magic. These consist of standard RPG attacks such as elemental spells (fire/thunder/blizzard/aero), stat based moves (stop), and gravity. Just about anyone can learn this form of magic, even ordinary humans. It's also worth noting that this magic has little to do with light or darkness.
However, another form of magic comes from within; those who align themselves with the darkness gain several powers of their own. These include offensive spells like dark firaga, the ability to form dark corridors-- portals-- and even control of the Heartless. Unfortunately, using dark powers is very taxing on the heart. In order to wield the darkness and use it well, one must either have a great control over its power or wear some sort of protective clothing, such as the cloaks worn by Organization XIII and the armor of a Keyblade Apprentice.
So what is a Keyblade? It's a powerful weapon shaped like a key that's used to protect the realm of light-- in a perfect world, anyway. Keyblades of light and dark exist, and the only prerequisite is to have a strong heart and inherit the weapon from a Master-- or a wielder with the skill of one.
In the past, many Keybearers existed, both Masters and apprentices, but as time went on, they faded into obscurity. Some died, others became trapped in the realm of darkness or fell into a deep slumber. As of now, only King Mickey and Terra remain.
In the canon universe, Riku starts off as an ordinary human, though at the age of five he encountered Terra and inherited the power to wield the Keyblade. However, he kept his meeting with Terra a secret over the years, acting as if the meeting never happened. Later on, he'd use his newfound abilities to open the door to his world, allowing the Heartless to attack its heart and destroy it in the process. All the while, Riku embraced darkness without fear, costing him his right to the Keyblade; it wouldn't be until Kingdom Hearts II that he'd gain a Keyblade of his own.
But he did obtain powers over darkness, like the ones I described up above.
In this AU, things happened a little differently. Although Riku still opened the door to his world, but Sora made it to the island much quicker, and Riku never had a chance to give in. Thus, he gained the Keyblade as originally planned. On his journey, he also picked up a number of magic spells and abilities rather than immersing himself in darkness. He essentially becomes the "hero" of this universe, even if his actions are less than admirable at times. More details on this in the following sections!
Personality:
On the surface, Riku is a cool, collected teen. He’s generally laid back, a bit blunt, and a touch arrogant as well. His sense of humor might come across as mean sometimes, especially when he teases his friends, but he generally sticks to playful jabs rather than something truly mean spirited. Back on the island, he'd poke fun at Sora's crush on Kairi and how much he slacked off. And when it comes to Donald, he's mocked him for his temper quite a bit. And at first glance, one might assume he has an overinflated ego, for he often behaves in a confident manner, and in the past he was very full of himself. Since he started his journey, he's toned down his arrogance at least a little, but bad habits die hard; if nothing else, he likes to put up a strong front.
Another key trait of Riku's that hasn't changed is his competitive spirit. Back on the islands, he'd challenge Sora and the other islanders to sparring matches every day and partake in other challenges like racing. For a good while, he treated his journey like an elaborate game. Battling Heartless was dangerous, but also a good challenge that put his skills to the test. While he no longer views heroics as fun and games, he still enjoys being challenged.
Moving on, while Riku may be rough around the edges, there's a lot more to him than his snarky exterior. True, he may act cool, collected, and prideful, but deep down he's got his share of insecurities-- mainly jealousy. Ever since he was a kid, he's admired his friend Sora for his carefree disposition and the way he lives life following his heart. While Riku became restless and unhappy with his life in his small little world, Sora stayed positive, living in the moment instead of worrying about the future.
Riku isn't like that. He's not some cheerful, upbeat hero that goes around making tons of new friends, nor is he the type to go out of his way to befriend complete strangers-- not without a reason, anyway. He does care about his friends, and they mean the world to him, but he's often reckless for the sake of his own ambitions. He opened the door to his world in a desperate attempt to escape, and at the start of his adventure, he completely disregarded Donald and Goofy's mission in order to explore the worlds they visited and, later, hunt down Sora.
It's taken some serious emotional as well as physical challenges in order for his outlook to change.
When he first left his world, he thought that traveling around would be easy. This didn't change once he learned about the Keyblade. In fact, for the longest time, he acted as though he could handle anything the Heartless or Disney villains threw at him. So what if they were tough? He had the Keyblade. To make matters worse, his early experiences across the worlds were quick and easy. He battled some Heartless, dealt with creeps like the Queen of Hearts and Hades, and made it out in one piece. True, Donald and Goofy helped, but he only saw them as nuisances and an excuse to get around.
But as time went on, his perspective shifted. First, he found out that Sora'd "befriended" Maleficent, thinking she was one of the good guys. Then he found out about the Keyholes and just how important they were. Even then, he tried to stay cool, acting as though he could handle everything...
Until his carelessness lead to the destruction of another world, and countless hearts fell to the darkness.
Since then, he's had some second thoughts about the Keyblade. It's not that he doesn't want it; Riku completely accepts his position as Keybearer, but at times he does wonder if he really lives up to the role. When Terra passed the Keyblade onto him, he was supposed to "champion the ones [he] loved," but he ended up treating it like a trophy instead. But rather than mope around, Riku's taken his mistakes and worked his hardest to make up for them. He no longer sees Donald and Goofy as idiots and works alongside them for the sake of their mission. In turn, they've helped him with Sora and Kairi. Granted, he still does poke fun at them sometimes.
That being said, he's still not as friendly or outgoing as Sora. While he has made some new friends on his journey, he's still fairly picky. Just because someone looks nice doesn't mean they're trustworthy, and he tries not to get too close to someone without getting to know them first. To become Riku's friend, one has to earn his trust. Fortunately, he's opened up a little and isn't too hard on others.
And once Riku befriends someone, he becomes very dedicated to them. Though he's not the sort to preach about the power of friendship, he'd go to great lengths to protect the people he holds dear, even if it means making the wrong choices. This is reflected in the AU a bit differently. Instead of working with the villains, Riku simply wasted a lot of time looking for Sora instead of focusing on the Keyholes. He also considered using Pinocchio to help Kairi at one point, but he reconsidered very quickly. And later on in the plotline, he'll leave the door to Kingdom Hearts open in order to prevent the worlds from spreading apart. And why? Because he'll refuse to return home without Sora and Kairi.
But for now, Riku's stuck on what to do about Sora. They've clashed several times across various worlds, and though he still cares deeply for his best friend, Sora's unwavering loyalty to "new friends" has become a serious obstacle. He's just too stubborn to accept that the villains treating him kindly are in fact using him as a means to an end.
Riku knows that they'll have to fight, but deep down he's scared. True, he's sparred with Sora before, but a real fight is completely different. Either one of them could get hurt in the process, and he doesn't want their friendship torn to shreds. Soon, he knows he'll have to do something to knock some sense into him, but he will hesitate at first and even lose the Keyblade temporarily, until he can muster up the courage to fight. But in the end, he'll stay strong and do whatever it takes to knock some sense into him.
As for Kairi, canon doesn't touch upon their relationship near as much, but KH1 provides at least some insight into Riku's feelings for her. At the start of the game, Riku states that Kairi is the whole reason he decided to build the raft. She inspired him to take action and look for other worlds. The way he talks to her shows some definite fondness, and while he may not view her the same way he sees Sora, she's still incredibly important to him. Why else would he go along with a group of villains in the game just to get her heart back?
Naturally, these feelings remain in the context of the AU, even if he doesn't go to such crazy lengths to save her. Ever since he was little, she fascinated him due to her amnesia and the fact that she came from a faraway world. And-- pardon my headcanon here-- but he admires Kairi's spunky attitude and the fact that she's able to keep up with both himself and Sora, even if she doesn't do any actual fighting. She'll race with them, hang out with them, and she keeps the boys in line.
But on the other hand, he's pretty darn protective of her because she doesn't fight. The fact that she's lost her heart doesn't help one bit, either, and in a way, he blames himself for what happened. If he hadn't opened the door, she'd still be okay. That's why he's determined to save her somehow, and once he does, he has no plans on leaving her alone. The fall of Destiny Islands separated him from his friends and threw them into a massive conflict; by now, he just wants to be with them again.
Lastly, I should probably touch on Riku's views on light and darkness. It's true that he sees the darkness as a dangerous threat, but at the same time, Riku doesn't preach for the light either. By the end of the KH1 story, he'll have a firm stance that light and darkness really don't matter to him. He'll stop his enemies regardless of what they use and form his own path.
Abilities, Weaknesses, and Power Limitation Suggestions:
Strengths;
Riku's greatest physical strength stems from his weapon, the Keyblade. It serves as a powerful weapon that can change form depending on the keychains equipped, allows him to use magic, and he can use it to perform a number of moves in battle.
These include...
Attack Abilities
- Sonic Blade - Slash an enemy while rushing past. Select followup attack at right time for a combo. [2 MP]
• Ars Arcanum - A formidable attack. After a combo, select followup attack again for a double combo. [3 MP]
• Ragnarok - After aerial combo, select followup attack at right time to unleash Ragnarok. [3 MP]
• Strike Raid - Hurl the Keyblade at an enemy. Select followup attack at right time for a combo. [2 MP]
• Sliding Dash - Riku does a quick slide, pulling himself near the enemy and damaging them.
• Vortex - Close the distance to nearby enemies with this powerful spinning attack.
• Aerial Sweep - Leap at an airborne enemy and strike a mighty blow.
• Slapshot - When facing more than one enemy, Riku swings his Keyblade with a large arc and finish it with a upward thrust.
• Counterattack - Strike back after parrying an enemy blow. Successful counterattacks restore MP.
• Blitz - Strike enemies ahead of you with a powerful finishing combo.
• Zansetsuken - Riku holds Keyblade vertically reversed and strikes through enemy, very powerful finisher.
• Ripple Drive - When several enemies surround Riku, this ability knocks them back.
• Stun Impact - Sora strikes his Keyblade downwards, creating a small explosive sphere protecting him and stunning nearby enemies.
In addition to combat moves, Riku can use the Keyblade to open and close any lock, other than magical seals like the one to Merlin's house. It can also seal Keyholes, protecting the hearts of worlds for good.
Magic
• Fira - Sends a large burst of flames flying towards his enemies. Works best with one target. [1 MP]
• Blizzara - Sends multiple ice crystals towards foes. This may hit multiple enemies. [1 MP]
• Thundaga - Summon a barrage of lightning bolts to strike down foes. [1 MP]
• Aerora - Gusts of wind surround Riku, lessening the blows of enemy attacks. Enemies too close to him while he casts this may take damage as well. It lasts 18 seconds per use. [2 MP]
• Cura - Standard healing spell. [1 MP]
• Gravira - Traps enemies in a gravitational field for a few seconds, damaging them for the durration of the spell.
• Stopra - Freezes enemies for a few seconds. [1 MP]
He also possesses the ability to summon several Disney characters, but I'd like to keep this ability locked.
Other than magic and Keyblade techniques, Riku's picked up a few more tricks on his journey. He can jump very high with the high jump ability, and thanks to his adventures in Neverland he can glide short distances.
Granted, special abilities alone aren't Riku's only strengths. Because he's spent years sparring, he's got a decent amount of fighting experience. He's also fairly muscular for his age and pretty agile. He's not incredibly strong on his own, but it's said that he's taken on Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka three-to-one and still won. Likewise, he's usually the one to win races against Sora. So, by teenage standards, he's above average in terms of physical fitness.
Mental/Emotional
• When Riku has a goal in mind, he sticks to it. He's a very determined individual, and while there are times where he experiences self-doubt, he usually pulls through in the end. He'll also go to great lengths to achieve his goals, such as opening the door to his world to find freedom... even if that's not the greatest example. Regardless, he does take initiative where others might hesitate.
• When it comes to his friends, Riku is very loyal.If they're ever in a pinch, he'll help them out, no questions asked. On the other hand, this is also a weakness, for reasons I'll explain below...
• He's much more responsible than he used to be. If there's a threat out there, Riku's the sort to go after it, not just for the challenge, but for the safety of the world(s).
• He's pretty clever, and he's nowhere near as naive as Sora. And due to his experiences, it's much tougher to manipulate him than a standard KH1 Riku. A clever turn of phrase won't do it, so standard villain deceit is generally out.
Weaknesses;
• Though Riku's a competent fighter and certainly strong, he's not without his weaknesses. First and foremost, he's still a teenage boy. True, he's muscular and quick on his feet, but he's also got a lot of growing to do. His small size can put him at a disadvantage when facing a larger foe, especially one with a lot of bulk. He can stand his ground better than Sora, but it still wouldn't be too hard to knock him around.
• When Riku casts magic, he's left vulnerable for a brief moment. This leaves him open to counter attacks, even when he's healing-- at least until he picks up the Leaf Bracer ability.
• On that note, Riku can only use so much magic until he's used up all his MP-- or magic points. In order to regain MP, he must use ethers/elixirs or land successful hits on his opponents. He can also restore MP by taking damage.
• Though he's got pretty good stamina, it's entirely possible to wear Riku down. Even the greatest fighters have limits, and if a fight's drawn out long enough, he'll slow down sooner or later.
• On a mental/emotional level, Riku's still very stubborn and doesn't always make the right choices. He can be a bit rash and rush into a situation without thinking it through, even if he does have good intentions. While this has improved since he left Destiny Islands, he still has slip ups, especially when angered.
• Though he cares deeply for his friends, they're one of his greatest weaknesses. Mess with his friends, and it's easy to set him off, especially when it comes to Sora and Kairi. Moreover, he'd put aside his obligations as Keybearer for their sake, even if it meant hurting others in the process. Oh, he knows it's wrong, but in the end, he values them more than all the worlds. This is what eventually prompts him to leave the DTD wide open.
• When Riku gets angry, he's far from rational. It's when he's ticked off or under stress that he makes a lot of poor choices. It's also pretty easy to anger him if you know what buttons to press. Aside from his friends, Riku's personal flaws and mistakes are two of his biggest triggers, and just mentioning his mistakes can set him off, depending on the conversation.
Power Limits;
Though I don't think Riku's abilities are that game breaking, I have a few suggested limits. First and foremost, I want to disable summoning completely because the summons are separate characters; it wouldn't be right for him to make misc Disney characters appear out of nowhere. Furthermore, he can only use summons in-game when he has two party members with him. Obviously, this won't be possible in-game unless someone happens to pick up Donald and Goofy.
Second, I'd like to use the MP system because I think it's a good way to cut down his magic use. Giving him a limit to how much magic he can use at a time keeps him from spamming super powerful attacks again and again. As such, I'd like to give him seven MP blocks for now.
Inventory: His Keyblade, a few potions and ethers, and the following Keychains:
- Crabclaw, Lady Luck, Olympia, Three Wishes, Pumpkinhead, Fairy Harp
Appearance: Riku is a somewhat tall, slightly muscular teenage boy whose most notable features include his shoulder-length silver hair and turquoise eyes. Riku dresses in a black and yellow sleeveless top and blue waders, and he wears a belt around his waist with straps that hook up to his waders.
Age: 15
OC/AU Justification ;
If AU, How is Your Version Different From Canon, and How Will That Come Across?
KH1 World Order
Before I go into the nitty gritty, here is the order of world visits, as it differs from canon a little.
Destiny Islands -> Traverse Town -> Wonderland -> Olympus Coliseum -> Traverse Town -> Atlantica -> Pleasure Island -> Halloween Town -> Agrabah -> Neverland -> Traverse Town -> Hollow Bastion -> Traverse Town -> End of the World
General AU Background
The first fifteen years of Riku's life followed canon completely. He still grew up alongside Sora, inherited the Keyblade from Terra, and later befriended Kairi. The trio worked on the raft and expected to go sailing to other worlds. It was the night of the storm, where Riku opened the door, that his fate changed. Though he did doom his world, Sora came to the island much quicker than in the actual game, finding Riku before thoughts of darkness even slipped into his mind. Together, they searched for Kairi while avoiding countless Heartless. After dealing with a large group of Shadows, Riku obtained the Keyblade, and together the trio tried to pass through the door.
This didn't work out so well. Kairi's heart ended up inside Sora, just like in canon, and though Riku and Sora took on the Darkside together, they became separated right as the island disappeared.
As a result, he ended up in Traverse Town and eventually encountered Donald and Goofy. But while canon Sora chose to befriend them, Riku saw the Disney duo as a means to an end. If he could put up with them for a while, at least he'd get to see other worlds. And maybe then he'd be able to catch up with Sora and Kairi. The Heartless and heroics didn't matter one bit, nor did their mission. Not for a long time, anyway.
Meanwhile, Sora ended up in Hollow Bastion and met Maleficent. She manipulated Sora into thinking that she and the other Disney villains were tragic heroes shunned by their worlds and promised to help him find Riku and Kairi... for a price. If he assisted the villains in "saving" a few "helpless" maidens from the oppressive forces in their worlds, then Maleficent would search far and wide to find his friends.
And because the villains were so convincing with their stories and because Sora's always been friendly and a bit naive, he bought their sob story hook, line, and sinker.
So, while Riku traveled to Wonderland and Olympus Coliseum, Sora 'rescued' Alice and learned magic from Maleficent. Naturally, Riku didn't suspect a thing and went on his journey for the sake of thrills.
It wasn't until they met up in Traverse Town that he started to reevaluate the situation.
When the two boys met up in the First District, Riku quickly ditched Donald and Goofy in order to catch up with his best friend. They shared their experiences with each other, and though neither knew where Kairi went, they both decided to keep their eyes out for her. Kairi was smart and could take care of herself until they found her.
Sora even suggested that Riku could come along with him and meet Maleficent, something that he honestly considered until Donald and Goofy found him and dragged him off to take care of things. Sora stuck around for a little while, but after they delivered the book to Merlin in the Third District, he hurried off to 'take care of something'.
Riku still didn't suspect anything was wrong until Leon and his gang explained who Maleficent was and what she did to their world. Suddenly, everything changed. If Sora was siding with one of the bad guys, what was he supposed to do about it? Why would go with her, anyway? He started to worry, even if he didn't show it. Moreover, he learned about Keyholes and their importance as well.
But even after sealing Traverse Town, Riku's priorities remained fixed on Sora. He'd already sealed two Keyholes successfully, and as long as he had the Keyblade, it didn't matter when the worlds got saved, as long as it was before Maleficent got to them.
So once Riku, Donald, and Goofy reached Atlantica and learned of Sora's presence, Riku tried his hardest to find out about his whereabouts, all while fighting Heartless and hunting down the Keyhole. But every time he came close to finding Sora, he missed him. All the while, Sora assisted Ursula in obtaining "her" Trident, even if that plan backfired in the end.
Still, the Keyhole got sealed, making another easy victory for Riku. Even if he missed Sora again, he continued to treat the bulk of his mission as a cakewalk.
At least until he, Donald, stumbled upon a dark and twisted world called Pleasure Island. It was a place where naughty little boys ran amok with "fun and freedom," encouraged to smoke cigars, drink alcohol, and vandalize the place. A cruel Coachman used the island to "make jackasses" out of the little boys and sell them to salt mines and circuses. And to make matters worse, the whole place teemed with darkness, and powerful Heartless attacked without mercy.
Several key events occurred in this world. First and foremost, they discovered Pinocchio, witnessed the transformation of boys into donkeys, and faced Neoshadows and other high-level Heartless.
But the most important event in this world centered around the Keyhole. By the time they found it, several Heartless approached, including a large Behemoth. Spotting Riku and the others, the Coachman tried to turn the Heartless against them, refusing to let some brat interfere with his operation. Instead, the Behemoth crushed the Coachman and devoured his heart, leaving the trio with no choice but to battle the beast or find a way around it.
Donald and Goofy ordered Riku to ignore the Heartless and hurry to the Keyhole, but he refused. They'd fought tough foes in the past, so why take the coward's way out? In other worlds, they managed to beat the boss and save the Keyhole in one fell swoop, even foes such as Cerberus and an oversized Ursula. So, Riku carelessly attacked the Behemoth...
But it and the swarm of Neoshadows overpowered him and seized the Keyhole. Within seconds, the world started to fall apart. Luckily, they made to the Gummi Ship in time to escape, with Pinocchio in tow.
Nontheless, Riku's failure to save PI dealt a serious blow to his pride. Not only did he fail to seal the Keyhole, but he witnessed the world disappear, just like the islands.
It also put everything he learned into perspective. Being the Keybearer wasn't just a game-- it was an obligation, not just to himself or his friends, but the worlds. One wrong move, and countless lives could disappear in an instant.
So at last, he came to accept Donald and Goofy's friendship, promising to help them King, save the worlds, and deal with the Maleficent, so long as they helped him find Sora and Kairi.
Little did he realize, Sora wasn't far. After a crash course into Halloween Town, Riku met up with Sora again. There, he tried to reason with him, but Sora refused to believe that his new friends could do anything wrong. To make matters worse, he later stole Dr. Finkelstein's experimental heart, leaving Riku with no choice but to go after him and set things straight.
When they met up again, Sora openly revealed that Kairi had lost her heart to the Heartless and that he wanted to use Finkelstein's experiment in order to help her. This led to a fierce argument between Riku and Sora. Riku refused to believe that a synthetic heart would help, while Sora was too desperate to give up. Moreover, he begged, even pleaded for Riku to come with him.
But eventually Sora got fed up with the fighting and fled, forcing Riku to trail behind, dealing with Heartless, Oogie's cronies, and Oogie himself on the way. Eventually, Oogie used the fake heart to fuse with his manor, and by the time Riku defeated him and sealed the Keyhole, Sora left yet again.
In Agrabah, Riku caught a brief glimpse of Sora when Jafar used the Genie to bring them, as well as Jasmine, straight to the Keyhole. Sadly, he never got a chance to speak with Sora, as he got too wrapped up in fighting Jafar with his newfound skills in sorcery. By the time the battle concluded, both Jasmine and Sora were gone, and Riku had no choice but to follow them in hopes of bringing her back.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Riku met up with Sora again soon after he left Agrabah, when the Gummi Ship encountered an enormous pirate ship. He along with Donald and Goofy got brought on board, where Sora greeted them and tried one last time to reason with Riku. He even went so far as to show him Kairi's lifeless body. But just like in Halloween Town, Riku refused, telling Sora that he'd picked the wrong crowd to hang around with.
As a result, the trio ended up in the dungeon and met up with Peter Pan. Together, they battled the Heartless and tried to save Kairi and Wendy. The end of Neverland follows canon to a degree; they reach Kairi, but she's quickly taken away, and Sora's nowhere to be seen. Then they fight hook. The main difference is that Sora has no power over darkness or the Heartless; it's Maleficent who transports him back to Hollow Bastion.
Once they sealed Neverland's Keyhole and returned Wendy to London, Riku, Donald, and Goofy left Neverland and returned to Traverse Town to prepare for their arrival in Hollow Bastion. While Cid installed some new Navigational Gummis, Riku took some time to consider everything that happened so far.
He had mixed feelings on the whole situation and plenty of uncertainty. Not only would he have to face Sora, but Maleficent as well. Once they arrived in Hollow Bastion, there'd be no time to play around; the stakes were high, and he'd have to be on his toes in order to set things right.
It's around this point that I'll be taking Riku.
**Endgame Details**
I realize this is already getting pretty longwinded, but I might as well summarize some key events for the "endgame" of KH1. First and foremost, Riku's fear of fighting Sora temporarily costs him the Keyblade, though he later regains it once he musters up the courage to face his fears. The two boys fight, Riku succeeds, but Sora doesn't come to his senses until the dragon Maleficent fight, where she attacks him as well as Riku.
After the fight, Riku/Sora/Donald/Goofy all head to the incomplete Keyhole, where they find Kairi. Sora and Riku take some time alone to discuss everything that's happened, and Sora reveals that Kairi's heart is inside him (see: notes on Sora below). Though the only way to free her heart is for Sora to sacrifice himself, it takes a lengthy argument for Riku to accept this. When he does, he challenges Sora to one last sparring match before he saves Kairi and disappears.
Around that time, Ansem appears and attempts to possess Riku. He struggles and manages to push Ansem away, with some help from Kairi. But while they manage to push Ansem away, there's little time to seal the Keyhole. Countless Heartless appear, forcing Riku and co. to flee and return to Traverse Town. On the way back, he apologizes for all his mistakes and promises to make up for them. More importantly, he swears that he'll find a way back to Sora-- provided he's still alive.
Unlike canon, Kairi doesn't stay behind in Traverse Town. For the rest of the story, she travels alongside Riku, Donald, and Goofy, in spite of the dangers at Hollow Bastion and End of the World. It's only before the final fight with Ansem that she's told to stay by the door, and at that point she gives Riku her good luck charm. However, Kairi does get pulled into the Endless Abyss by Ansem during the final fight as a means of toying with Riku.
But in the end, Riku defeats Ansem, who gets destroyed by the light within Kingdom Hearts. However, when it's time to close the door and seal it for good, Riku flakes. Prior to sealing Hollow Bastion's Keyhole, Leon and co. mentioned that the worlds would become separate again once the door is closed. This leaves Riku torn between doing the right thing and keeping his promise to search for Sora.
In the end, he'll leave the door wide open and pull his friends through a dark corridor in order to save them. This is where KH1 ends.
If any more information is necessary, I'm cool with that, but I've already rambled about the plot as-is.
Notes on the AU's Sora
I already mentioned that Sora retains Kairi's heart in this Universe. This plays a big part in what becomes of him as the plot progresses. Due to the extra light from Kairi, he's unable to use darkness, much less control the Heartless. This, in turn, prevents Ansem from possessing him later on in the plot. As a result, Sora's special abilities are regular KH magic, though he does obtain the Dark Keyblade from Ansem anyway.
I should also note that, since Sora is the one who will use the Dark Keyblade to save Kairi, there is no battle at the final Keyhole. By the time dragon Maleficent is defeated, Sora will have come to the conclusion that Kairi's heart is inside him for two reasons. First, he kept seeing/hearing Kairi, even when she wasn't around. Second, wielding the Dark Keyblade will leave him with an odd feeling in his chest.
Lastly, when Sora becomes a Heartless, he stays a Heartless because Riku and the others leave Hollow Bastion in a hurry.
Notes on Disney Worlds
The world visits themselves don't always follow the games completely. Agrabah and Wonderland, for example, incorporate elements from the films in addition to the Kingdom Hearts plotlines. Wonderland features a croquet match between Riku and the Queen of hearts, rather than a search for evidence. Because Agrabah occurs at a much later time period, by the time Riku and co. get there, Aladdin is already parading around as Prince Ali. Also like the film, Jafar becomes an all powerful sorcerer before he takes on the form of a Genie.
Additionally, Sora visits every Disney world except for Olympus Coliseum and Pleasure Island.
The biggest difference between canon and this universe, however, is the lack of Deep Jungle and the replacement of Pleasure Island for Monstro. Don't get me wrong; Monstro still exists in the AU, but it doesn't happen until after the KH1 arc, meaning that it won't apply to Riku unless I update him later.
Also, post-KH1, the door to Kingdom Hearts remains open, meaning that all the fallen worlds are still gone. Again, this will be more relevant if I ever update him.
In Closing...
Though this Riku is from an AU and his experiences are different, he'll still be Riku. He won't be quite as arrogant, jealous, and reckless as his canon counterpart, but he'll still have similar character traits; he's just a bit more mellowed out and lacks a strong influence from the darkness. The relationship he has with Sora is a little strained, and he's friends with a bunch of Disney characters, but he's not gonna be Sora in Riku's skin.
If OC, Did You Run Your Character Through a Mary-Sue Litmus Test?
And What Did You Score?
Samples ;
Log Sample:
A lot changed since he left his home. Those carefree days watching the sunsets or fighting with wooden swords had long since passed. Back then, Riku would have done anything to get away from his his boring life in a prison surrounded by water.
But as they say, be careful what you wish for; it just might come true.
What was he supposed to do now? Sighing, Riku leaned back against the accessory shop, heaving a heavy sigh. Seeing the outside world was more than he'd ever dreamed of. While he got to see rare sights and meet interesting people, it all came with a heavy price tag. Battling the Heartless, sealing Keyholes... It sounded like something out of a fairy tale, and it was certainly more responsibility than he'd ever hoped for.
But the hardest part of his journey was the strain on his bond with Sora.
They'd probably have to fight soon. Not a pretend battle with toy swords, but a real fight with high stakes. What if that ruined things between them? It's bad enough that they were on opposite sides! Gritting his teeth, Riku turned his attention to the world's entrance, where Donald and Goofy stood, waiting for him to make a decision.
Well, whatever the risks, he couldn't just stand here. Every minute he spent deliberating was another minute wasted, while Maleficent and her goons came one step closer to their goals. He'd figure things out on the way. Maybe by then he'd be ready to deal with Sora, no matter what happened.
But he knew it wouldn't be easy.
Network Sample:
[There's something a bit unnerving about showing up in a completely new world, full of strange technology without any sign of your friends anywhere. So, pardon Riku if he looks a bit overwhelmed as the device flickers on.]
You know, I'm all for seeing other worlds, but I was kind of in the middle of something. But I guess there's no sense complaining. Not if I'm stuck here...
[He sighs and shakes his head. Just his luck that he'd get dragged off before he could even deal with Sora.]
So, anyone seen a loudmouth duck around here? Has a short temper, usually hangs out with a huge klutz.
[A beat.]
Or better yet, there anyone named Sora around? It's kind of important.